The Second Persian Invasion

The Second Persian Invasion of Greece, also known as the Greco-Persian Wars (480–479 BC), was a series of conflicts between the Persian Empire, led by King Xerxes I, and the Greek city-states. Following the defeat of his father, Darius I, at the Battle of Marathon, Xerxes launched a massive invasion force to subdue Greece and exact revenge.

Xerxes' invasion force was one of the largest in ancient history, consisting of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and sailors from across the Persian Empire. The campaign aimed to conquer and annex the Greek city-states, which had supported the Ionian Revolt against Persian rule.

The invasion began in 480 BC with the crossing of the Hellespont (modern-day Dardanelles) into Europe. Xerxes' forces marched southward, encountering little resistance as they advanced through Thrace and Macedonia. The Greek city-states, aware of the impending threat, began to mobilize their defenses and form alliances to oppose the Persian advance.

The decisive battles of the Second Persian Invasion included the famous stand at Thermopylae, where a small Greek force, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, held off the Persian army for several days before being defeated, as well as the naval Battle of Salamis, where the Greek fleet, under the command of Themistocles, inflicted a significant blow to the Persian navy.

Despite initial Persian successes, the invasion ultimately ended in failure for Xerxes and his forces. The Greeks, inspired by their victories at Thermopylae and Salamis, rallied to defend their homeland, culminating in the decisive Greek victory at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC.